


Once In A While, Dream Of The Old Days.

by Commoncoral



Series: An Untold Story [1]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Prime
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Cortical Psychic Patch, Cybonic plague, Drama, Episode: s01e13 Sick Mind, Exes, First Kiss, Flashbacks, M/M, Optimus needs a hug, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-11-26 05:22:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20924840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Commoncoral/pseuds/Commoncoral
Summary: When Arcee, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee contracted the Cybonic plague, It's up to Optimus Prime to enter Megatron's mind to retrieve the cure.  Optimus didn't expect to have a reminders of his past come up to him again.Au where the Matrix suppresses Optimus's emotions but it doesn't come in effect when he uses the cortical psychic patch.





	Once In A While, Dream Of The Old Days.

Orion stood on the rooftop of the Iacon library reading one of his books and was waiting for someone. The door leading to the rooftop opened and Orion greeted them with a smile.

"Didn't enjoy the battle?." Megatronus asked, even though he knew what Orion was going to say.

"I enjoyed your speeches but you know how crowds make me uncomfortable. Besides, where else can I get a view of the constellations?"

Orion pointed up at the sky full of stars.

"Always looking at stars, aren't you? You have to get out of your comfort zone first to be one of them." Megatronus said.

Orion knew which quote Megatronus was referencing. _"Two mechs behind the same bars, one sees mud, the other sees stars."_ Megatronus often called Orion an idealistic person due to his determination in many situations.

"I'd prefer to be in the background." Orion replied.

"You are a vital piece in my revolution Orion, don't discredit yourself when you did so much for the cause." Megatronus wished that Orion pax would be less shy went it came to standing up with him on stages and completely avoiding giant crowds when they came.

"I'm just a mere advisor and still an archivist. You however are the inspirational, confident, and charismatic leader. All the things I'm not."

Megatronus was flattered but was also taken aback.

"You are wrong Orion. Who's the cybertronian from Iacon who first went up to me after a match to gift me their datapad full of lost history to assist my cause? The mech who passionately shared the same view of bringing down the caste system?"

"I just wanted to help you and didn't want to bother you further after meeting you that day. I didn't expect you to chase after me however." Orion replied.

Megatronus chuckled as he remembered Orion surprised face when he ran over to him when he was leaving. Without thinking he grabbed his servos and said   
"Be by my side!" Outloud. Orion face heated up with a noticeable colour. "P-pardon?" He replied.

Megatronus realized what the archivist misinterpreted his words as, though it wasn't exactly wrong from what Orion thought. Megatronus started falling in love that day and fell deeper due to their current friendship.

"Was seeing my face flushed that entertaining to you?" Orion said with a slight playful annoyance in his voice which broke Megatron from his reminiscing.

"It is quite adorable." Megatronus said without thinking again. Orion face blushes once again. Megatronus realizes that now is the moment he's been waiting for cycles now.

"Orion, I have something important to say."

Today he was going to confess. Orion blushing face looked to him with wide optics.

"I've known you for quite a long while now. You are also an inspirational, confident, and charismatic mech. You're simply amazing in all that you do and I-"

As Megatronus servos were reaching out to touch Orion's smiling face he froze midway. The words were stuck in his intake. The words were too powerful for him to say out loud. It was causing him to heat up his frame. The fear of rejection reached Megatronus processor.

"I..."

Orion put his one of his servos over Megatronus and leaned into his touch. Orion's bright smile was enough to make Megatronus spark jump. The size difference between his servos and Orion's head made a certain type of feeling swell inside Megatronus.

"I love you too." Orion warmly said.

"Stole the words right out of me." Megatronus replied. Finally being the other one who was blushing in this situation.

They both shared their first kiss on that rooftop and by the time they parted, Megatronus was finally able to say those three words to Orion.

**_________**

"Ratchet, will they be alright?"

"Get back Optimus! They have the cybonic virus!"

Bulkhead, Bumblebee, and Arcee discovered the spacecraft full of dead autobots and all of them contracted the bioweapon in their systems.

"Bulkhead, you can pull through this! It's just a sickness! You've been through worse! Remember?!" Miko cheered on Bulkhead with hidden desperation behind her voice.

"Miko you should stay back, I'm not sure if this thing can affect you too." Bulkhead groaned out.

Bumblebee beeped out to Rafael, saying he'll play videogames with him as soon as possible. "Just rest all you want Bee, I'm not going anywhere." Rafael said sadly. Jack just looked deep in his thoughts.

"I'm sorry Optimus, I should have been more careful exploring that ship." Arcee said weakly.

"Don't feel guilty for responding to an autobot distress signal. You all did the best you could do." Optimus said.

"Isn't there a cure for this? Maybe the Decepticons have one in case Megatron caught the virus?" Jack finally spoke out of his silence.

"Exactly my thoughts. Luckily I found the frequency of the Nemesis today. Where the information and how encrypted the data is currently the problem right now." Ratchet explained.

Optimus thought for a while before he came to a conclusion. "I'll go to the Nemesis, you'll watch over Bulkhead, Bumblebee, and Arcee conditions."

"But Optimus that's dangerous! I can try hacking their systems or-or develop my own cure-"

"There's no time, It's faster if I decrypt their files from their own ship."

Ratchet saw the face of Optimus his rare emotion of urgency and worry. Optimus always manages to stay calm and collected in the face of anything. Ratchet guessed that since no one except for him was able to see his face right now, so he allowed himself to show this one emotion.

"...Just get back safely Optimus."

"I will old friend."

Ratchet opened up the ground bridge and Optimus went inside. Optimus was greeted with the supposedly dead Megatron right in front of him, connected with wires of life support. Looking at the monitors, Megatron processor is still active. He's trapped within his own mind.

"Optimus? Can you hear me?" Ratchet checked to see if communications were still up.

"Yes, I can. I discovered Megatron, he seems to be still alive but is in a comatose stasis."

"What!? You must offline him immediately!"

"Wait, we can use this to find the cure. Ratchet, tell me how to set up a cortical psychic patch."

Ratchet sputtered "y-you can't be serious!? I only studied this technology in theory! How will I even get you out?!"

"Ratchet I believe you can do this, it's the quickest and safest route to saving our friends." Optimus stern and steady voice was able to calm Ratchet down. But not enough to get rid of Ratchet fear of losing everyone and Optimus too. He eventually obliged and told Optimus on how to work with the psychic patch.

"Are you sure you want to do this? Who knows what his processor is like after all these cycles of war and massacre. " Ratchet said.

"Yes, if it means saving everyone. Do not worry Ratchet, I'll make it back safely."

Optimus hid behind where Megatron slept and plugged the patch behind his helm. Suddenly he felt his spark being stretched and his vision was a pinhole. He found himself on the floor of Kaon and spotted the red-tinted smoke around him.

Optimus felt there was something that was terribly off.

"Can you hear me Optimus?" Ratchet checked in.

"Ratchet, the matrix didn't arrive with me. I'm- I'm vulnerable." Optimus said in his calmest voice possible, but he couldn't hold back his studder.

Ratchet said a quiet "oh no." and hoped that Optimus would get out of there as quickly as possible. The kids started asking what did Optimus meant by vulnerable. The worry in Optimus voice caught their attention.

"...it's not in my place to speak about Optimus problems." Ratchet replied.

Optimus took a deep vent and walked up the stairs. Priority number one is his team safety. He stopped in his tracks when he noticed the giant mech in front of him. Red and blue with a stern-looking face.

"Myself? But why is this version larger? Or..."

He looked at his own servos as shock and realization ran through his entire chassis as he knew what state he was in currently.

"I'm Orion Pax."

Suddenly a dark laugh pierces the silence.

"Optimus Prime, your autobots army is defeated. Bow before your new master."

The doppelganger in front of Optimus was suddenly animated.

"Never Megatron. One shall stand, one shall fall." The blade in the Optimus double drew out and he stood in a battle stance.

"So be it." Megatron replied.

The real Optimus hid away and watched as his double falls in battle with one strike and disperse into nothingness.

"So this is what he always thinks of. Seeing me defeated." Optimus said to himself. The shock was still felt in his own system.

"Optimus, you must continue finding the cure. You have to confront Megatron." Ratchet reminded him.

Fear stabbed every inch of Optimus body. "Even like this? What will he say?" His legs prevented him from moving from where he was. The rock hiding him suddenly turned into another double of Optimus prime.

"Your treachery ends here, Megatron." The double said. Megatron withdrew his blade and charged up his cannon, which blasted a shot that disintegrated the fake Optimus but did not affect the real Optimus when it shot through him.

The dust from the blaster left Megatron to view the shadow of a silhouette on their knees.   
"Not dead yet and you're finally surrendering? How this excites me to see you like this."

Optimus still couldn't move as Megatron got closer, he knew he couldn't get hurt but his mind was telling him otherwise. As the fog dispersed Megatron spotted the widened scared blue optics and shaking frame of someone he used to know quite well.

"Orion?" Megatron shocked expression was the last thing Optimus saw before the red smoke sweep the entire room, blocking their sights.

The fog quickly faded out and Optimus found himself on familiar ground. He was surrounded by a crowd of cybertronians cheering on a fighting mech and not noticing his existence. He knew which memory this was.

"Ratchet this memory...I don't want anyone to see it."

"Understood." Ratchet began to ask the kids to move to another room. All of the other bots were resting to recover, although the growing rust all over their frame was alarming.

"Why? What's going on?" Miko said.

"Miko I think it's best not to get in Optimus personal life if it bothers him." Jack replied.

"But why is he acting so off from the Optimus we know?" Miko asked. In which Ratchet muted his communications to Optimus.

"Optimus young self got transported to Megatron's mind, they used to be very close. That's all I can tell you about."

When the kids understood and left, Ratchet unmuted the communication. Optimus looked around at the old Cybertron around him, it's been a long while since he saw Iacon silver buildings and grey walls of Kaon. Both of those cities were mashed up in Megatron's mind. He eventually found himself backstage just as Megatron finished his speeches.

Optimus stood in his usual spot.

"What does Megatron want if he's playing this old memory?" Optimus asked.

"His subconscious wants to relive the old days before the war happened. Although I can't be sure." Ratchet responded.

"It hurts me to awaken this peaceful memory but I'll have to break him out of his reverie to get the cure for them."

Optimus readied himself to confront young Megatronus as he was walking backstage. Optimus felt a pang of guilt when he saw his optics widened in happiness to see him. He waved back with a forced smile.

Before Megatronus could say anything, Optimus pointed at the crowd of reporters running towards the gladiator.

"Same spot?" Optimus spoke.

"I'll see you there Orion." Megatronus replied with a smile.

Optimus started his walk to the rooftop. The streets were empty and the silence was getting to Optimus.

"How are the others Ratchet?"

"Their condition is getting worse. We must find a cure as soon as possible."

"I should of went on the ship instead."

"Optimus, what are you saying? That you should have caught the virus instead?"

"I rather suffer then all of them."

"Optimus...all we can do now is help them. The past is the past." Ratchet never saw this side of him in a long while. The guilt and self-sacrificing.

"You're right, apologies I just got caught up in the moment."

"You're just not used to having the matrix, it has been a while since you inhibited the emotions in your processor."

He later reached the rooftop and waited for Megatron. He looked at the view of the city and found a purple fog in the distance.

"The residue of dark energon, it's been clouding his processor. Do you perhaps think that's why his endless dream was killing me over and over?" Optimus felt disappointment towards Megatron.

"I'd say his mind and dark energon creates a certain type of muddled violent pit. It confusing to know which is which." Ratchet replied.

Optimus then looked up to see a starless sky. The door to the rooftop opened.

"Enjoyed the battle?"

"I had always enjoyed your speeches and you know how crowds still make me uncomfortable. Where else can I get this view?"

"Always looking at stars, aren't you? You have to get out of your comfort zone first to be one of them."

"I had always been a watcher."

"You are a vital piece in my life Orion, don't discredit yourself when you did so much for me."

Optimus eye widened in shock. This is not how this memory played out. Megatron walked closer to him.

"I have something important to say."

Young Megatron servos reached out to him and froze midway. Orion wasn't prepared for this moment to come so soon.

"Be by my side Orion and stay with me forever." He said with a smile on his face, waiting for Orion's face to lean on to his servos. Optimus finally realized that this is what Megatron wanted, deep inside his mind. Optimus guilt weighed harder on his spark. He wanted to lean in and pretend that everything was alright, but it wasn't.

Optimus took a deep vent. It was time to wake him out of this fantasy. He hovered over Megatron servos and leaned in his head.

"Megatron, I'm so sorry."

His hand phased through his helm. Megatron stood still in disbelief, then tried to hug the mech in front of him to no avail. The confusion and grief in his optics hurt Optimus.

"Why can't I..." Megatron slowly came to a horrible realization. He turned away with his servos clenched.

"How dare you Optimus. How dare you stoop so low in my own mind! How dare you ruin Orion's image at this moment! Stop using that body!"

Megatron yelled and as soon his body turned around to face Optimus, his optics were red again, servos sharp, and his face older. The pure anger in Megatron stare struck fear into Optimus.

"I'm so sorry Megatron, but I would not have this frame here if I could."

He scoffed. "What are you doing here anyways? To torture me with the psychic patch?"

"I need the cure to the cybonic plague, my team had caught the virus." As Optimus tried to explain further Megatron cut him off by laughing.

"Let them perish, I won't ever give you the formula. They'll suffer a painful death while wondering where their precious leader is!"

The shocked face of Orion didn't make Megatron feel any better, so he looked away and tried to pretend it was Optimus.

"I must have it! I'll do anything!" Optimus said. The out of character begging struck strange to Megatron.

"Then die along with them. The Decepticons shall become victorious." He said anyways.

"I-I can't let them die. I'll revive you if you give it to me." Megatron looked at Optimus and found tears running down his face.

"...Who are you? You aren't Optimus are you?"

"Why do you treat me like I'm two different cybertronians Megatron?" Optimus said as he wiped away the liquid forming around his optics. Megatron thought about wiping his tears away but knew that he couldn't.

"Orion-"

"I am still Optimus."

"...Revive me, and tell me why you act like your former self and I'll give you the cure."

Optimus pointed at his sparkchamber.

"When I received the matrix of leadership, not only I received a frame upgrade, It inhibits any emotions I choose to have suppressed. It appears that it doesn't affect me here.

No wonder why Megatron decided that the day where he became a prime was the day Orion pax died.

"Why? Why would you let that artifact consume your entire being?! You aren't yourself anymore and I would have welcomed you back to the cause if you asked!"

Optimus became irritated.  
"Say that to me on the day where I asked you to reconsider what you said to the council. You threatened to kill me."

Megatron stayed silent.

"And-and I didn't even intend to suppress all of those emotions! But being in that war and hearing the cybertronians that would lay down their sparks for me, saying 'Optimus, we'll win right?' As they die. It... just hurts. How many cybertronians have I been responsible for the deaths of?"

The tears around his optics increased as his anger and sadness filled his voice. It starts to waver as Optimus said "it's not even easy fighting you in the first place. I just want the war to stop. I never chose to be a prime or a leader but it was my choice to do what I believed was right."

They both missed the old days. Megatron opened his servos to reveal the data of the antidote to the virus.

"How will I know that you will hold up the other end of your bargain?" Megatron asked.

"Had I ever lied to you?" Optimus replied.

Megatron handed over the data and he noticed how Optimus touch lingered on that brief moment of physically feeling his servos grasping the antidote. Megatron realized that Optimus still held love for him, that's when he knew for sure he'll be awoken from his sleep.

"Optimus, next time we'll meet I'll rip that matrix out. I will have you back."

"You might, but would I make the choice to be at your side? I will still do to what I believe is right."

Optimus looked out to the city view below. He finally got what he came for. His servos reached out to the back of his helm.

Megatron suddenly shouted  
"Optimus wait!" And Optimus stopped himself.

Megatron froze up.  
"...Don't leave me here." He said without thinking, although that's not what he meant to say.

Optimus turned to look at Megatron.  
"You won't be left here for long. Don't try to follow me out of here to unless you want the matrix to eradicate your processor."

He turned the plug in his helm and started disappearing.

"I still love you!" Megatron shouted, panic finally getting the words out of his lip plates. The last thing he saw on Optimus face was surprise then a sad smile as his tears started falling again.

Optimus said something but Megatron couldn't hear anything since he was almost out of his mind. Optimus vanished.

He woke up as his servos pulled out the patch from himself. Optimus chose to suppress all the emotions from that experience. He stood up and walked over to one of the computers and typed out, _"To revive Megatron, he must have dark energon in his systems."_

"Ratchet, open up the ground bridge."

Ratchet didn't say anything and opened up the bridge to the base. Optimus decided not to look back at Megatron before he left.

**_________**

Megatron laid in the lap of his imaginary Orion pax. Megatron didn't say anything to him, he just listened to the doppelganger ramble on about history and books. He can almost pretend that nothing happened and he was in his old days on Cybertron.

He saw the sky started collapsing around him with purple fog. Will he see Optimus prime when he awoke?

He reminded himself that he will take out the matrix of leadership from him. He opened his optics to see Soundwave, Knockout, and the traitorous Starscream. His sight turned to the message on the monitors.

He let out a short scoff.

"_I will have you back Optimus_." He thought to himself.

**_________**

After everyone was free of the virus the usual sound of the kids and Autobots chatting and playing in the base filled the awful silence that Ratchet had to deal with before. As Optimus was about to leave for the night patrol, Ratchet walked up to him as they were both alone.

"Optimus, are you alright?" He asked.

"You already know the answer Ratchet."

"But without the matrix. Although I know that it helps you to get rid of all those negative feelings from everything you faced, I believe it's morally wrong and unhealthy to let those emotions get unresolved."

Optimus then chose to let go of the matrix suppressing his experiences he felt today. His face dropped to a somber one.

"Then I'm not alright old friend."

"You want to talk about it overnight patrol? I'll accompany you."

"Yes, thank you."

**Author's Note:**

> I had this idea for a while now and finally got it out. I might make this into a series if I have the energy to. I've always wondered what would happen if Optimus was the one who entered Megatron's head.


End file.
